The invention relates to a suction apparatus with a suction chamber and a suction inlet, as well as a suction outlet and provided for e.g. vacuum cleaning of wet suction material.
Such suction apparatuses are used for the most varied purposes, e.g. for cleaning swimming pool water, for sucking up moisture-containing dirt, as a decontaminate suction means as used by the fire brigade, etc. Independently of the inflow or the taking up of the suction material, there is a need to be able to derive a control signal which can control the operation of the suction apparatus. If a separation chamber is provided said control signal is suitable for e.g. controlling the filling level, so as to ensure that no further suction material is taken up when the separator is already adequately filled and must therefore be emptied before taking up further material. Pneumatic or similar level controls or protective circuits have not proved adequate for this purpose, particularly as they are complicated in construction and consequently fault-prone, whilst involving high costs.